In 2011, the scientists Annia Galano and Jorge Rafael León-Carmona published a study that would free me and other coffee lovers around the world from coffee guilt. They provided solid evidence that coffee is one of the richest sources of antioxidants in the average person’s diet. Finally, there was some evidence for what my intuition always told me. Eureka! I love science. Or better, I love good, useful and logical science.

Since then, a great number of studies (1, 2) show that coffee, black tea and cacao are indeed good source of antioxidants and far more healthy than options offered by mainstream medicine. A recent Harvard study concluded that drinking 3-5 cups coffee per day (decaf, too), lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Parkinson's and even suicide.

Many previous studies show that certain compounds found in coffee, including chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, and p-coumaric acid have a strong antioxidant capacity, which may improve vascular health and reduce inflammatory molecules.

At Olive Retreat, we would ask what causes those inflammatory molecules in the first place? Maybe a scented candle, your deodorant, softeners, eating animals, smoking, alcohol, or stress?

In addition, magnesium, trigonelline, and quinides in coffee have been associated with improved insulin sensitivity, which reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.

New research points to caffeine as the source of powerful antioxidant effects that may help protect people from depression, anxiety, dementia and even Alzheimer’s.

On the other hand, we know that coffee can worsen the effect of insomnia, anxiety, hypertension, heart problems and severely acidify our bodies, making them a playground for vicious microbes. So I wouldn't run off to Starbucks just yet.

Our advice is to let your body decide how many of those 1-5 cups (8 oz/25 ml) you can take. It's all about the dose!

* Please note your health is important and we want you to join us. we have done our best to price both countries the same to account for the differences in flight costs from Europe and Usa. We are happy to assist in finding good flights.